Stuck for the Holidays
by waitingtofly
Summary: On a snowy Christmas Eve Lois abandons her father's military base after another one of their feuds. After crashing her car she happens upon the Kent's family farm. How long will she be stuck in Smallville? What secrets will be revealed? And will Lois and Clark finally figure out how they really truly feel about each other?
1. Chapter 1

**Stuck for the Holidays**

 _(A Smallville Fanfic)_

"I need a hero…..I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be ready to fight…."

No, don't feel like listening to that. It's Christmas Eve for goodness sakes! Lois Lane pressed the Search button again on her radio in her Honda. Why couldn't she find the station that she wanted as she edged closer to the town of Smallville? Satellite signal wasn't that bad yet out in the boonies in Kansas.

"And you're listening to 92.5 Kick Country…..snow blizzard warnings are out for all of Kansas state tonight…"

Tell me something I don't know, thought Lois bitterly as she pressed the Search button again.

It would later be called one of the most violent winter blizzards in Kansas state history. In all, nine documented small towns would be snowed in and unable to get out. Destroying nearly five power lines and knocking down several tree branches. A few car accidents due to slippery roads would occur too, killing at least three. Lives would change forever when Mother Nature dumped 7 feet worth of snow on the poor Kansas state.

It had begun in an instant. One minute it was partly cloudy with just a sliver of sunshine. Not unusually so for December, but in the next, gale force winds, and blinding white snow exploded from the darkened sky. The system had blown in from Canada and was crossing the upper and middle part of the United States at nearly forty miles an hour. All at once, radio stations crackled with emergency warnings. People took cover inside. But some people were trapped on the highway. And one of those people was Lois Lane. Although, come to think of it….she had sort of gotten herself into this jam in the first place. If only her sister Lucy would've kept her mouth shut about her dangerous investigations that she was going on at her new job at the Daily Planet, and about some hack from Smallville named Clark Kent who somehow became her desk partner, that was now saving her butt every once in a while when the Blur wasn't. All at once her father, General Sam Lane, started firing rapid questions at her about the boy because he knew he was close to this so-called hero called "The Blur"…at least that's what sources had told him. And her father hated "The Blur" with a passion because he wasn't a hero that really showed himself to the public like the police and military. A vigilante is what he called him mostly. He also berated her for seeming to having a knack for getting into so much trouble and had she no self-respect for her body? How could she be so reckless?

Not wanting to spend the rest of her Holiday vacation (about a week) in a stand-off with her Father and Lucy, Lois had decided to leave the military base in a haste.

Now she was firmly in the midst and there was little she could do. Snow fell so hard in places and roads were so slippery that traffic slowed to five miles an hour. Lois held the steering wheel tight. At times it was impossible to see the road through the windshield. But stopping usually meant disaster because of the other vehicles on the road behind her. Lois leaned over the steering wheel looking for the dotted lines on the road. She found a few here and there.

Snow blew across her windshield obscuring nearly everything. Again, she pressed her radio button, hoping to hear a cheerful Christmas tune to get her through this blizzard. She wanted to stop at a hotel and sleep but she knew she didn't have enough money along. Maybe she could sleep at the Talon where her cousin Chloe Sullivan currently resided in the upper apartment above the coffee shop? Unless she wasn't home and was at her boyfriend Oliver Queen's place in Metropolis instead? Lois had the sinking feeling she probably should've called.

Chloe's new budding relationship with Oliver Queen also readied heavily on Lois Lane's mind. Chloe had not that long ago become a widow thanks to Doomsday killing her newly-wed husband Jimmy Olson. Thanks to the Blur though, Doomsday was no more. But Jimmy had sadly paid the ultimate sacrifice during the midst of the battle. Chloe had later found solace in Oliver Queen, whom was Lois Lane's ex of long ago. Lois knew she shouldn't be jealous of whom Oliver had chosen for his rebound girl after her. She should be ecstatic for the most part since she loved her dear cousin. And she was….it was just….something seemed a little off considering their relationship had started so fast. Oh, get a grip….like you haven't started a relationship fast! Her brain scolded her. Just look at Arthur Curry . Aqua Man who rescued you years ago from drowning in Crater Lake! You fell for him pretty fast….and Oliver Queen soon right after that quick split. Which was why she was being so hesitant now…since she had learned from those lessons…..even though she found herself starting to have warm fuzzies towards Clark Kent.

People were swerving all over the road as blind as she was. Lois was stressed from the storm, and wanted to take a sip from her Pepsi to calm her nerves. Her Pepsi sat between the emergency brake and the driver's seat. Quickly, she snuck a sip and hoped the extra caffeine would keep her focused on the road. A few minutes later, she was debating about reaching into her small coach purse for her Cell Phone so she could dial Chloe's number to make sure she was in fact at home above the Talon. Nah….she quickly changed her mind. That could lead to an accident if I don't focus. She didn't need another reckless move of hers chastised in the future by her father and sister. Lois was tired from all the bickering.

The asphalt was shiny and very black underneath the snow, having turned to black ice. A curve was coming and it was sharp. Lois realized a second too late that was she was going too fast and tried to slow down to make it. Futilely, she pumped the brakes. Lois screamed as she turned the wheel hard, the front tires sliding. Soon the wheels left the asphalt and with a WHUMP slammed onto snow. The car rocketed forward and slammed into a tree. Because her seatbelt was worn across her lap and not her shoulder, because it was an older version of Honda, Lois's head slammed into the steering wheel. Her world went dark.

A couple of hours later Lois's world came back slowly. On her tongue was the salty bitter taste of blood.

Snow blew in from an open crack on her window. It made her bones feel like ice. The wind was getting colder as she managed to stumble out of her car. A large cut was on her forehead from the dash board and steering wheel. Tentatively, Lois felt it with her frozen fingers. She wondered if she would need stitches. She hated going to hospitals. Her mother had died at the hospital when she was eight from cancer. A black and blue bruise was forming on her jaw though and her body was starting to ache. She really didn't want to reach into her small coach purse for her Cell phone and dial 9-11, even though she knew she probably should and have an x-ray done. Lois hated hospitals with a fiery passion.

Smoke filtered up from her engine. Her poor Honda car was wrecked. She needed to find help. Maybe she could convince the people of Triple A to help her out without calling for an ambulance for her.

Breathing in the deep cold air, Lois fished into her small coach purse for her cell phone to call Triple A. Her head throbbed with pain. If she didn't get help soon, she knew she could wind up with hypothermia or pneumonia depending on the cold weather. As her head throbbed, she hoped she didn't have a concussion.

Her phone read to her Call Lost and No Signal. Damn it.

It was then she noticed a snowy dirt path leading off to her right. In the distance she could barely make out a yellow house and red barn. Alongside of its beginning was red mailbox marked Kent's. No way….was the stunned thought that crossed Lois's mind. Now there was a stroke of luck! Maybe…..Desperately, she hoped that both Clark Kent was home from Metropolis and his mom Martha Kent was home from the Senate to spend the Holidays together. Hopefully, there she would find help.


	2. Chapter 2

"Clark, you're so focused on what's ahead that you're starting to cut out the parts of your past that made you who you are." Martha chastised her son as she followed him into their living room.

Clark had just finished chores in the barn after a long afternoon of patrolling both Smallville and Metropolis during the initial start of the snow blizzard. He hated feeling rushed in his rescues because of having to remain in a blur so that people wouldn't recognize him and compromise his identity. He longed to push the "Blur" aside and maybe finally come out in the open in a nickname that Lois had once given the "Blur"…she had come up with the idea of "Superman". With the idea of "Superman" he could wear a costume that would hide his identity, and enable him the ability to protect the ones he cared for. It was strange how her ideas were slowly wiggling into his brain and becoming his own. Especially, since the two barely got along as just friends and work partners. Although, he was starting to feel something a little more towards her, especially after he had danced with her and almost kissed at a friend's wedding, he wasn't quite sure if he should trust his feelings. As it was, he was still reeling from his breakup with Lana Lang. And Lois didn't know he was the "Blur". He hadn't given much thought as to how he would make the "Blur" disappear and "Superman" appear in his place. However, he did think of a perfect disguise for his alter ego Clark Kent….glasses.

"What do you mean, mom? I'm just going to replace the 'Blur' with 'Superman'. I hardly doubt that qualifies as cutting out a part of my past. 'Superman' is the 'Blur' whom is me." Clark responded a little too belligerently.

"Are you sure you're ready to come out with a different super identity? With this new one you will be more in the public." Martha prodded gently. Deep down she knew her son still liked to keep to himself. With a new identity out wide in the open, who knew how long he would be able to keep someone from telling the difference between him and his alter ego.

Clark was silent. He wasn't sure if his mom was right or not. He didn't want admit anything at the moment. Clark was about to turn and head upstairs to his room when he heard a thud and a stifled sob.

Clark rushed to see what it was that had made the sound, and was shocked to find a familiar person with shoulder length brunette hair and hazel eyes, whom he hadn't seen since last week. She was shivering and bleeding in a bunch near the heat register near the front kitchen door. She was trying not to cry in pain as warmth returned to her.

"Lois?" he gasped in confusion. "What happened? What are you doing here?" Clark had her in his arms in a minute, carried her to the couch, and wrapped her up in a red fleece blanket. Last he had spoken with his sparring partner at work; she had told him that she was going to be spending her Holiday break on the Military Base with her dad and sister.

"I got into an argument with my dad because of my sister's spilling about my job and the Blur…" she started.

Clark was surprised at this revelation.

"So I left….I crashed my car in the blizzard out there! Everything aches….I can't get warm," with a long shiver, Lois burst into a flurry of fresh tears, being no longer able to keep her strong and stubborn persona up.

Tenderly he began to rub her aching hands. Most of the blood on Lois looked to be dry. His mom, Martha, made her a large hot chocolate, having remembered that was Lois's favorite warm drink when she had long ago stayed there during her senior year of High School. Clark helped her drink it, only allowing her a sip at a time.

Lois soon fell into a drowse from a combination of the drink and warmth returning to her. It was then that Clark noticed the large laceration on Lois's forehead. Her brunette hair had been covering it earlier. Alarmed, he knew he had to wake her while he tended to it. He had to look into her eyes and see once if they were dilated. Hopefully, she didn't have a concussion.

His mom, having noticed too wondered aloud if he should take her to the hospital. Clark shook his head though as he gently pried one of her eyes open stating that she didn't appear to have a concussion. After using his X-ray vision on her laceration, he informed his mom that her laceration shouldn't need stitches.

A feverish flush though had begun to burn on Lois's cheeks though.

After retrieving some gauze, hydrogen peroxide, and medical tape from the upstairs bathroom Clark began to work on her head wound. Lois rallied a little as he did so, and even though her voice was in a barely audible whisper, he heard her with his super hearing say, "Thanks, Clark."

Clark was surprised at Lois showing him this much vulnerability. Normally she was loud, stubborn, rude, opinionated, and very passionate. She must've either felt safe and relaxed finally in his presence after having lived with them before. Or she was feeling so awful that she didn't care how her persona was. He couldn't decipher which.

After an uncomfortable moan from his sparring partner, Clark lifted Lois into his arms and carried her up the stairs to his room. Murmuring as he did so. "Shh-hhh…..you're going to be alright."


	3. Chapter 3

When Lois Lane woke the next morning she was not sure whether she had dreamed what had happened the night before, or if it had actually occurred. So she hopped up out of bed. This turned into a big mistake.

In flashes and sharp daggers of pain, Lois's memory returned to her. The sharp curve. The snow falling. Her car spinning, whirling, and then slamming into a tree. Suddenly, she felt the rise of nausea in her throat like a living thing. She bolted out of Clark's room and into the bathroom across the hall. There she threw up in the sink.

Minutes later….

"Lois?"

The door opened, and Clark came in worried. "Are you alright? What are you doing out of bed? Oh, shit!"

He grabbed a wash-cloth from the bathroom cabinet and wet it, bathing Lois's white face. Her fever had broken, but Clark was beginning to wonder if she may have other problems yet resulting from her head wound. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

She gasped. "I wrecked my car!" Her father was going to kill her. She could just picture it.

"It's okay," Clark soothed as he carried her back to his room. "I can give you a ride back to Metropolis once the Holiday season is over. Chloe's at Oliver's so right now your best option is to stay with us."

Holiday season. Today was Christmas Day it dawned on Lois.

Instead of laying back down on the bed, Lois sat up instead pulling the covers up around her. "You know…you don't have to take care of me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself normally."

Clark chuckled. Yup! Lois's tough stubborn persona was definitely back!

Lois took a glance around Clark's bedroom and noticed a garbage basket, a large white bowl, and another small waste basket sitting on the floor near his bed. She cocked her head to the side. "I take it I took a little drive on the porcelain highway?"

"It was more like a cross country trip." Clark admitted.

Lois glanced behind Clark at her reflection in the mirror and noticed the small piece of gauze on her forehead. It appeared that Clark had played doctor on her the night before. And then she looked surprised at her apparel in the mirror. Gone was the outfit she had worn to the military base when she had visited her dad and sister. Instead, she adorned Clark's old red football jersey.

"Please tell me we didn't…." Lois began a little flustered.

"No," Clark quickly responded much to Lois's relief. "But I did change you into something more comfortable because you were in such distress last night. You fell asleep pretty quickly afterwards."

Lois blushed crimson and focused on Clark's flannel bedding. Okay…..so this meant that Clark had seen _everything_. Great. And she knew why she fell asleep right away. Whenever she caught Clark's scent on his pillows she felt instantly safe. Protected. She had no way of really explaining it further than that. Just that the scent of him made her feel comfortable enough to sleep. Almost like when she was back home in her own apartment in her own bed.

Noticing that for some odd reason she wasn't meeting his gaze, Clark changed the subject. "My mom's making breakfast downstairs for Christmas Day. Do you want me to bring it up to you? Or has your nausea subsided enough for you to come downstairs?"

Lois shook her head out of her reverie, and whispered. "Downstairs. Yeah. I can do downstairs."

Clark nodded and then gestured towards the chair in the corner of his room where Lois's navy blue duffle bag sat that she had previously in her car. "I brought that in before the Tow Truck came and hauled your car away. Your purse is on the floor beside the chair. I'll leave so you can change clothes."

This caused Lois to glance back down at his jersey that she was currently wearing. Clothes. Right. Different clothes would probably be good.


	4. Chapter 4

Downstairs an afghan that Martha Kent had made lay on the sofa. Clark's high school football trophies lined the fireplace mantle. A Christmas tree stood tall in the corner of the living room, filling it with warmth and light. A hodgepodge of ornaments collected over the years adorned the tree.

Lois smiled adding this to her memories for the holidays.

The smell of bacon, eggs, and coffee wafted up into Lois's nose beckoning her to the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Lois!" Martha greeted her warmly. "How are you feeling sweetie?"

"Better and Merry Christmas," Lois answered sincerely. She wasn't exactly accustomed to Clark spending all his attention on her. "Thanks for going through all of this trouble. I know this wasn't exactly planned having another added guest for Christmas."

"Nonsense! I'm happy you're here. And I'm just glad that you're alright."

Lois nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table. Clark put salt and pepper on the table before fixing his own plate and taking a seat across from her. Martha set a plate in front of Lois along with a steaming coffee mug.

Lois gingerly took a sip of the warm caffeinated brew, and then picked up her fork. Tentatively, she poked at the scrambled eggs. Even though her stomach grumbled lowly, Lois wondered how swallowing solids would go considering just moments before earlier this morning she had thrown up. Yet…she wasn't nauseated anymore…or so her brain reminded her.

Clark noticing her hesitance gently prodded. "Are you sure you're feeling better?"

He was almost tempted to carry her back upstairs to his bed and bring the plate of food with in case she'd want it later.

"Uh, yeah, sort of…..just don't feel quite normal yet." Lois's fork meandered through her scrambled eggs.

Martha smiled. "You just eat whatever you feel comfortable eating. Eventually your appetite will probably return."

"I suppose," Lois answered glumly.

Deep down Lois was feeling small and unworthy. All she was ever was petty towards Clark. And here him and his mom were taking care of her! On Christmas Day to boot! She shouldn't have come. She wasn't worthy of this. But…she didn't want to go back to the military base by her dad and sister Lucy either. They weren't worthy of her time either. They opposed the Blur! Ugh…..she needed to figure this out.

Martha's sweet natured voice broke Lois out of her reverie. "You should call your dad at the Base to let him and Lucy know that you're safe and where you are."

Lois frowned. She really didn't want to call as she was sure he would chastise her for risking her life in the middle of a snow storm last night, and he would most certainly yell at her for what had happened to her Honda.

Martha noticing Lois's facial expression at the mere mention of her dad, smiled reassuringly and stated, "It's the right thing to do, Lois. If I was your mother….even if we had a fight….and you left…I would want to know you were safe."

Lois glanced up from her clasped wringing hands and into Martha's beautifully lit caring eyes. Clark was so lucky he had such a caring adoptive mother. Looking at Martha made Lois begin to miss her own mom. How unfortunate and unfair it was to have her own mother taken away from her when she was a child. She never really got to know her mother. Barely at all.

Deep down somewhere under her dad's tough skin she was sure he probably cared for her as much as Martha did about Clark and her. However, with the way he yelled at her, barked orders, and sometimes put her in ranking over her sister Lucy with keeping her in line…..sometimes she really did wonder.

It was then Lois felt a slight nudge and spotted Martha Kent's blue flip cell phone next to her clasped wringing hands. "Call your dad from the barn loft. It's alright. You'll have more privacy. I can send Clark later to check on you."

Lois frowned slightly but then begrudgingly grabbed the blue flip cell phone, got up from the table, grabbed her jacket from the hook on the wall near the door and whispered, "Fine."

Twisting the golden knob on the front door, Lois sighed heavily and made her way out to the barn. Not exactly the conversation she wanted to have on Christmas Day. But for some odd reason, Martha Kent was normally right about situations like these.


	5. Chapter 5

Forty-five minutes later….

"What kind of double timing do you call this Lo?" came the harsh response from General Sam Lane.

Crap.

Lois exhaled inwardly, "I'm sorry dad. I guess when they started spouting off blizzard warnings I wasn't expecting that what they actually meant was that the North Pole and Santa were relocating to Kansas."

"And now your Honda is wrecked…what were you thinking, Lo? How could you be…"

Lois held the cell phone away from her ear and let him talk to oblivion. So much for him caring….

But then his voice lowered and Lois had to place the cell phone back to her ear to hear him.

"I'm glad you're alright. You're my little girl. But spending the rest of the Holidays with that vigilante supporter and lover…No. You need to come back to the base. You should be with me and Lucy. You should be with…"

And on that note, Lois clicked the end call button on Martha's cell phone cutting her father off. Go back to the base and put up with her dad and Lucy ridiculing her about the Blur, Clark being a vigilante supporter, her job at the Daily Planet, and now her wrecked Honda? Oh….Hell…No.

Sniffling a little, Lois shoved Martha's cell phone that she had borrowed to her back in her pocket. Pivoting on her heel, she turned to go back down the stairs from the barn loft. In front of her though only a couple steps away stood Clark Kent….and by the way he was looking at her with his blue eyes, clearly he had overheard everything.

Clark appearing slightly abashed, stated simply concerned, "I heard screaming from all the way inside my house."

"Welcome to why I don't like calling the General and reporting to him."

Clark frowned in empathy.

"Apparently, he's very disappointed in me for letting this happen. And as far as he's concerned…this is all my fault."

"I'm sorry," Clark said.

"Don't be." Lois shrugged. "You know, there's something cathartic about hanging up the phone as a way to tell a three star general to go to Hell. Especially, on Christmas Day."

Clark felt sorry for Lois. Her relationship with her father seemed to phantom his own current relationship with his biological ghost dad Jor-El. Never being good enough. Oddly, he admired Lois for hanging up on her dad as a way to tell him off. However, he did not agree that she told him off on Christmas Day. Christmas was special. It meant family, love, and hope. Maybe he should've jumped in when his mom had offered Lois her cell phone, and inform her that maybe it would've been best if Lois had called the day after Christmas instead.

"Come on, Smallville." Lois stated, suddenly lightly punching his arm, breaking him out of his reverie. "Let's head back in and check what your mom has on the agenda for Christmas."

Clark smiled as they headed slowly down the barn loft's wooden stairs. Normally, they would exchange presents after Christmas breakfast. But ever since Jonathon Kent (Clark's adoptive dad) had passed away a couple of years ago, Clark's mom hadn't felt much like exchanging big presents. In fact, for the past couple of Christmas's now, they had just done stocking stuffers instead. Christmas wasn't about presents really anyway, Martha had long ago taught him. It was about Jesus being born to one day save the world. Granted, Jesus did receive three presents at the time of his birth…gold, frankincense, and mirth. A few presents were okay. Only now Lois was there, and she didn't have a stocking…..or then again maybe his mom had dug one out for her since she was their unexpected guest. Still though, there wasn't going to be a stocking stuffer in it. Maybe they would wait and do that after Lois left.

As they entered the farm house though, that thought was completely dashed.

Martha was holding a suitcase in one hand, had her gray purse slung over one shoulder, and the house land line phone propped between her shoulder and ear.

Clark was bewildered. Why was his mom returning to the Senate on Christmas Day?!

Martha finished her conversation very quickly on the phone and hung up, just as Lois entered behind Clark into the house.

"I'm sorry, Clark, Lois….that was my boss. Lex Luthor just made a statement that he might be running for President. There's a huge uproar going on at the Senate as you might imagine because of that."

"But going back to the Senate today, Mrs. Kent?" Lois asked now too completely baffled as she handed back Martha her cell phone. Something else had to be for sure going on. Someone running for President as notorious as Luthor surely couldn't be enough cause to rip people away from their families on Christmas Day….right?

Martha looked apologetic at both of them. "Welcome to recon."

Clark frowned. Leave it to the Luthors to mess up another perfect moment in his life. Especially, since he usually liked Christmas.

"Hopefully, I'll be back in time for New Year's Day." Martha said she placed her flip cell phone back in her purse. "I'm sorry," she apologized to Clark and Lois again. Then she hugged Clark and whispered. "I love you. Merry Christmas."

Lois still thought that Martha Kent going back to the Senate on Christmas Day was stupid. The President election wouldn't be for another 11 months! What the hell kind of retconning could Martha have to possibly do? Especially, over a holiday?!

And then the next thing Lois knew, Martha Kent was gone in a flurry with her belongings out the door.

As the white kitchen door closed, Lois awkwardly realized it was just her and Clark now…alone…..together….for the rest of the week. The guy she was starting to have warm fuzzies for that she worked with. Great.


	6. Chapter 6

An hour later Lois found herself actually not feeling so awkward anymore and having a great time on the living room floor in front of Clark's fire place playing Monopoly. Clark was losing big, but he seemed to be taking it well.

"Go to jail!" Lois cried gleefully after the next turn of events for Clark in the game.

The wind was starting to howl outside again like it had Christmas Eve. Apparently, Mother Nature had decided that Christmas Day in Kansas deserved a Round 2. Suddenly, there was a loud crack which momentarily distracted both Lois and Clark from their game. And then….the electricity went out.

Clark gave a sigh. "Great….sounds like the Transformer blew. We won't be able to get it fixed until they move the snow first. Sit tight though. I stacked some extra wood earlier yesterday before you arrived. There's a huge pile on the porch. I'll be back."

Lois saw his shadow move past her. It suddenly felt chillier in the room, frowning, Lois grabbed the Afghan blanket off the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders. Clark returned with a pile of extra wood for the fire place. He added some to the dwindling fire. She watched his quarterback defined back as he hunched by the fire coaxing it back into a blaze. A warm fuzzy feeling succumbed her stomach. Oh, no. Don't fall for him. Her brain chastised her. You don't have time for it. You have enough on your plate as is with your stories at the Daily Planet, the Blur, and your aggravating family. Besides that…..work relationships barely withstood the test. Do you really want to ruin your nice, comfortable friendship with Clark?

At that moment, Clark seemed to sense her hazel eyed gaze transfixed on him. He turned his piercing blue eyes boring into hers. "What is it?"

Abashed, Lois quickly recovered herself. "So, do you think we can finish the Monopoly game in this light?"

Several hours and wins later, Lois was starting to feel sleepy. But she didn't want to head upstairs to bed yet. Besides, she knew it would be cold up there as the electricity had yet to come back on. Also, it was Christmas Day yet. And even though most of her day had turned to crap because of getting yelled at by her dad, Clark had magically turned things around in the end and saved her Christmas Day. She didn't want this nice Christmas bonding time to end.

One yawn later though, and Clark tried to make her cave in. "Lois, you're exhausted. Do you want to sleep down here by the fire….or upstairs in my bed?"

Honestly, she didn't want to sleep in either spot alone. It was cold. But was she honestly ready to put her heart in jeopardy and sleep next to Clark to keep warm?

"I'll be fine upstairs," Lois stated, grabbing a flashlight from one of the nearby drawers near the living room. "Good night, Clark."

Three hours later…..

Clark with his super hearing could hear Lois's teeth chattering all the way from his bedroom. He knew she wouldn't be fine. He knew she'd still be cold even with borrowing one of his red hoodie sweatshirts, and wearing her own double socks. Why did she have to be so stubborn? Eventually, Clark quietly headed up the stairs to his room. His heart sank, as he saw Lois curled up in a ball on his bed with several blankets on top of her. Her teeth chattering. She was going to kill him in the morning perhaps for this, but….

Carefully, using his heat vision he gently swept Lois's form with a bathe of heat. Just enough to get her teeth to stop chattering. Gingerly, he scooped up Lois then into his arms, and headed back down the stairs to the living room. There on the couch in front of the fire, he pulled her close to his chest under the Afghan blanket. While listening then to the soft steady beat of her heart, did he finally give in to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

A noise woke Lois Lane first sometime in the way late morning hours. It sounded like it had come from outside. Was Mrs. Kent back way earlier than she thought? She was still held snug against Clark's warm, radiant chest. His arms wrapped around her along with the red afghan blanket like a cocoon. She could feel his breath lightly tickle the back of her neck as he breathed in and out, relaxed. When had Clark brought her downstairs? Her mind recollected going upstairs to bed, piling a bunch of blankets on top of herself, and then chattering her teeth away to sleep. Anything that occurred after that she couldn't very well remember.

Again the noise sounded from outside. Maybe it was a snow plow? But then why would it sound so close to the farm house's porch?

Curiosity got the best of Lois though, and so she turned slight and gently nudged Clark.

"H-mmmm…?" he murmured, still half asleep.

"Clark," this time Lois nudged his leg with her foot to wake him up a little more. "I heard something outside."

Clark sat up a little, relinquishing Lois from his arms. The red afghan blanket half fell off from Lois's shoulders and arms, the cool air immediately rushed to replace where Clark's warmth had been.

Great. This meant the power had yet to turn back on. How long could it possibly take to move snow to get to the Transformer?

"I don't hear anything," Clark stated as if that ruled out all possibility that there could have been a noise.

However, Lois's investigative reporting instincts were telling her otherwise. "Clark, go check it out! Or I will…" shivering, she started to rise to her feet.

"Alright, I'll check it out." Clark motioned her to sit back down on the couch. Then he repositioned the red afghan blanket so that it was wrapped snug around Lois's shoulders. Clark grabbed the flashlight that Lois had used last night, his heavy brown winter coat, and slipped into some work/barn boots that used to belong to his dad. As his hand wavered above the golden knob on the door, he turned towards Lois. "I'll be right back. Stay here."

Lois waited 'til the door was closed before she got up off the couch with the blanket still wrapped around her. She could not stay put. It was not in her investigative reporting blood. Immediately, she began to pace around the living room in front of the fireplace. The fire had dwindled down by now and was not offering much warmth anymore. But it was still enough that if she needed to she could still warm her hands as much. Every once in a while Lois would tentatively glance out the window in the kitchen to look at the nearby barn where Clark had gone to look first.

Maybe it was a stray cow….

Maybe it was a barn cat out hunting mice….

Maybe Clark's barn dog Shelby had gotten loose….

Maybe a chunk of ice had fallen from the roof…..

Maybe someone else had crashed like Lois had close to the farm house, and Clark would need to call either 9-11 or his friend the Blur for assistance…..

That last thought had Lois excited for a whole mere minute. The idea of the Blur having to come to the Kent's house for a rescue! She could actually get the chance possibly to interview the Blur, and get to possibly see what he actually looked like when he wasn't in blur motion! Then her conscious got the better of her, and realized that she didn't really want to see anyone get hurt just so she could meet the Blur in the flesh. Let alone to get a story while she was on vacation.

Thirty minutes had now gone by.

Where was Clark? Had something happened to him? Lois opened the door and then the screen door, pulling the edges of the blanket tighter around herself. It was bone chilling cold! She almost called out Clark's name…but then she thought she heard voices coming from within the barn. Someone else was out there….and Lois did not think it was a friend.

Hastily, she closed the door, grabbed another flashlight from the drawer in the small dresser in the living room and then searched for her cell phone that had been in her coach purse. If she needed to call the police, she wanted to be ready. No taking chances especially if Clark was in trouble!

Breathe, Lane. She told herself as she opened up a closet door in search of her pair of boots and jacket that she had first arrived in at the Kent house after her accident. She pulled on her grey hat and gloves as well. Something she did not see Clark remember to put on when he had left.

A prickle of fear went up her spine as she realized she did not have a weapon with her. Her pepper spray that she normally carried with her all over Metropolis was back at her apartment in a drawer near her bed. And her Taser was in her desk drawer back at the Daily Planet. Crap!

The snow was coming down heavy again, and was a little more than halfway up her boots, when she started to make her way across the lawn towards the barn. The wind was biting, and through the whistle, Lois strained to hear what was going on inside the barn.

As she neared the barn, she resisted the urge to call out Clark's name, as she heard a scuffle inside. Quietly, she edged towards the barn door, and as she did so she could've sworn she heard the sound of a punch making contact with a face.

"Where is he?" said a man's voice.

Lois's heart hammered in her chest as she peeked around the corner. She caught just the glimpse of a man dressed in military fatigues standing over Clark who was tied up in a chair. She couldn't make out the thugs face. But his voice sounded strangely familiar.

"I told you…I don't know," Clark answered, sounding weary if not defeated.

"Give up the Blur!" said, the man. Slapping Clark's face once more.

Lois gasped, having recognized the voice now. General Slade! Her father used to be friends with him. She didn't know if he still was. But if her father was she was definitely going to have words with him! General Slade had helped the current President come up with the Vigilante Registration Act. An act which was supposed to have all heroes/vigilantes sign up so that the government knew who was helping them fight for truth, justice, and the American way. And not out there acting out in terrorism. However, a few weeks ago Arthur Curry a.k.a Aqua Man had informed Green Arrow and the Blur that Lady Liberty did not really have her arms wide open for a hug. The Vigilantes that had signed were being rounded up and taken to a place called Poseidon 34-59 and being tortured and held captive. General Slade was abusing the Vigilante Registration Act, and was trying to wipe out the Vigilantes. He figured that the Vigilantes were tyrants. Aqua Man, Green Arrow, and the Blur had thwarted General Slade and turned him in for abuse of power. Lois had tagged along for some of it and had gotten a great expose! However, now General Slade was in Smallville. Why was he even in Smallville? How did he escape? And what would make him suspect that Clark Kent knew the identity of the Blur? Was Clark holding out on her about something? Well,…..she kind of knew that the Blur and Clark were friends. But seriously?

"I'm going to make you a deal," Slade stood over Clark menacingly. "Trusting that your stay in Metropolis has put some sense in your head. Give up the Blur, and I will let you live."

Clark, though a bit worn out, answered back rather defiantly. "What makes you think I could do that if I wanted to?"

General Slade stomped angrily towards Clark. "I'm trying to save Earth from a super powered tyrant that could one day become a terrorist!"

Clark answered calmly. "You have no proof of that."

And then General Slade suddenly smiled, which made Lois start to feel slightly nauseated. "Wouldn't you like to know? I found something that could save Earth from this super powered being, who's acts of vigilantism I traced as starting all the way back here in Smallville in the early 2000's."

Wait. What?!

Had Clark gone to school with the Blur? Was that how they had become friends? Lois had never really asked Clark how he and the Blur had become buddies.

Clark's face suddenly turned white. White as the falling snow outside. But Lois couldn't understand why. Did he know what Slade was talking about? Or had he noticed her crouching behind some hay and had gotten worried that Slade would spot her?

"I suspect this object came to Earth around the same time this vigilante did." General Slade continued.

"The Blur's back in Metropolis," Clark said logically, though his face was pale. "I can't summon him here."

"Sure you can." General Slade seemed unconvinced. "You're his friend. And so is that nosey partner of yours."

"Lois." Clark let out then in a barely audible whisper.

"Don't worry. My men are out searching for her. We know she's here possibly. She wasn't in Metropolis or at the Military Base where her Dad is stationed. I will get what I want, Kent."


	8. Chapter 8

Lois's legs were getting cramped as she stayed crouched behind the hay. She debated heading back into the house, to think of a plan. But moving would surely alert Slade's men to her location. Besides, what would she use to take out Slade and his men? Jonathon Kent's hunting rifle? Martha Kent's kitchen knives? Could she even get to those objects fast enough and arm herself before General Slade or his men even noticed her?

Deciding not to waste another minute with Clark's life on the line, Lois stepped just outside the barn and carefully judged the distance between the house and the barn. However, as she made her way out the door to the house the barn door made a dull thud.

"What was that?" Slade demanded.

"Uh, the wind?" Lois heard Clark lamely suggest.

Ugh! She was going to have to take Clark aside one of these days and teach him how to come up with better believable excuses. Especially, since he was a reporter now! One had to know how to protect their sources let alone themselves.

Lois bolted for the house and sure enough, there was General Slade right behind her! As soon as she was in she slammed the front door shut, and threw the lock, even though she knew it would only buy her minutes of time. Quickly, she headed towards the kitchen and began to hastily rummage through a drawer searching for a weapon.

Inevitably, she heard banging on the front door. She took out a rolling pin and grabbed two steak knives. One she carefully slid into her winter boot that she was wearing. Perhaps she could hole herself in there for a little while….at least until she found Jonathon Kent's hunting rifle in the dark. Banging on the door wasn't seemingly getting General Slade anywhere at the moment, and like Hell was she going to let him in.

Just as she started to make her way upstairs where she thought she remembered seeing Jonathon's gun cabinet in his and Martha's room, she heard a loud shot ring out! General Slade had shot the lock off!

"Miss Lane?" he called as he made his way into the living room. "Stop being a traitor to this country with helping Clark and the Blur. Show yourself and I will make this situation a lot easier."

When pigs fly….was Lois's thought to that.

Lois only made it to Clark's room by the time she heard General Slade start on the stairs. Jonathon and Martha's room was down the hallway yet, and she wasn't sure she'd get there in time to barricade herself in before General Slade's bullets would fly. She grabbed the chair that had been in the corner of Clark's room with her duffle bag on it, and jammed it under the door handle. She held the rolling pin high as she stood just by the side of the door for when he would try and come in. Maybe if she knocked him out, then she could get a hold of his gun, and then free both Clark and herself.

Breathing hard, Lois tried to remain positive. General Slade was looking for the Blur. He wouldn't kill Clark or her until he got what he wanted…..right?

General Slade shot through Clark's door a second later. As the door opened, Lois whammed the rolling pin with all her might on top of General Slade's head as he entered. He went sprawling sending his gun sliding across Clark's wooden bedroom floor. As Lois then made a dive for the gun however so that she could gain the upper hand, General Slade latched out and grabbed one of Lois's ankles. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Lois crashed to the floor and managed to hit her head on Clark's tall dresser. As Lois's world went dark, she barely registered General Slade's smug response. "Half ass plan, Lane. You'd think for a Military brat you'd know a little better."

An hour later, Lois opened her eyes to find herself facing the wrong side of the gun. Her hands were roughly tied behind her back, she was sitting on a wooden chair, and her back was facing Clark. She was back in the barn. Outside the snowstorm had yet to let up.

"Valiant effort, Miss Lane. But incredibly stupid." General Slade greeted her with. "Your father General Sam Lane would be disappointed in you in your tactics."

Lois huffed. Tell her something she didn't know already.

Clark's fingers lightly touched Lois's from behind. "Are you alright?"

"Sure," Lois lied. She could already feel the small trickle of blood rolling down the side of her face from her head. Crap. She must've reopened the laceration from her car accident the couple nights before.

Okay…..gun was pointing at her. Blood was trickling from her head. Steak knife was still securely snug in her boot. Hands were tied behind her back. If she could just twist her leg good enough she could get her boot to her hand. She'd cut her ropes and Clark's and they'd be free.

Except…

General Slade went from aiming the gun at Lois's face to her chest. "Care to give a scream for the Blur? I know he always comes for you. And right in the knick of time too. Let's see how fast he can get between you and a bullet."

Clark moved and seemed to instantly come alive again. He twisted in his chair trying to face General Slade. "No! Stop! You don't know what you're doing, Slade! You want the Blur…..you don't have to shoot her." He paused then and said soberly. "Slade…..I'm the Blur."

"Clark, don't be ridiculous!" Lois scolded him. Now was not the time for jokes. Especially, since she was still staring at the barrel of a gun.

But there had been an urgency and seriousness to his voice that made Lois a little nervous. Had Clark been lying to her all these years? Was there actual truth to his statement? Or was he just lying to General Slade instead and trying to buy them both some time?

"Lois, I'm sorry you had to have a gun pointed at you for the truth to come out," Lois heard Clark suddenly apologize.

Damn. Nope, Lois realized immediately. Not buying time.

Clark's apology to Lois meant that he was indeed the Blur. And all of a sudden it made sense to Lois. All of Clark's sudden disappearances at work. How he would just show up after a sighting of the Blur to report. She just wondered if General Slade had finally now caught on.

"You were never going to tell me, were you?" Lois asked suddenly feeling hurt. How could Clark not have trusted her? Was it because a good majority of the time she was Mad Dog Lane going after a story?

"It meant putting your life at risk."

Lois sighed, she wished Clark knew how much she'd have been willing to take that risk.

"If you're really the Blur, then this will prove it." And at that moment General Slade dropped his gun, and opened up a lead box that he had found in a cabinet in the loft of the barn.

A lead box which Clark had told his parents to hide, keep, and only use on him if he ever abused his powers. How did General Slade become in possession of it? He would've had to snoop around the barn!

Clark flinched immediately as it opened, knowing exactly what was inside. Clark slouched, and tipped over to the ground in the chair. Moaning, he began to writhe in pain on the barn floor.

"Kryptonite?" Lois whispered bewildered. In all her cases she had done on the Blur, she had only ever heard the Blur mention the word Kryptonite twice on their clandestine phone calls. And the stuff was painful and deadly to him he had once told her.

A thought then occurred to Lois….how had Clark been able to disguise his voice on the phone so she wouldn't know he was the Blur? Computer technology?

"You're him….the Blur." General Slade had a strange mix of loathing and awe in his voice. He seemed transfixed by the way the glowing green rock was having an effect on him. "To think….I'll be so easily able to keep you captive now."

What General Slade had been a moron about was that while he was distracted by his own torturing of the Blur. Lois had managed to angle her leg to get her boot to her hand, and had by now cut the ropes on her hands with the steak knife. She was going to have to someway now distract General Slade, get the glowing green rock away from her Smallville, and enable Clark enough time to recover.

Clark looked to be in complete agony.

Son of a…..

With General Slade's back to her, Lois jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck trying to strangle him. He dropped the lead box. And as General Slade flailed about trying to throw Lois off, he managed to kick the Kryptonite away towards the far side of the barn.

Lois briefly heard Clark give a brief sigh of relief.

On the other hand, General Slade had also managed to throw Lois off eventually and sent her sailing towards the hay. He made a dive then for the Kryptonite and the lead box.

"Don't even think about it, Slade."

Clark was now the one holding General Slade's pistol, and he had it aimed at him. His hands were trembling a little as he held the pistol. Never before had Clark ever fired a type of gun. Only once…and that had been at a coyote to keep it away from his farm dog Shelby. Not once had he ever aimed one at a human. But he didn't have his powers fully back yet. He could feel them returning to him now that the Kryptonite had been kicked away. However, he wasn't confident that it would be enough to protect Lois.

Having a pistol aimed in his direction though seemed to have no effect on General Slade. In fact, he actually smirked at Clark.

"My men are nearby. You're outnumbered."

"We may be outnumbered. But the Calvary is on its way." Lois stated defiantly from the floor of the barn. In her hand was her cell phone, and she had hit the button for 9-11.

Clark smiled in relief. Using what little of his super hearing that had finally returned, he had been able to tell that General Slade's men were on the far side of his farm land. By the time they would get back to the barn, once General Slade radioed for them, the police would already be there.

Thirty minutes later General Slade and his men were being hauled away by Smallville's brightest law enforcement, and the electricity was finally back on at the Kent's.

After giving their statements and the police had gone, Clark gingerly helped Lois back into the farm house. Once in the kitchen, Clark set her down by the kitchen table and told her he'd be right back. While he was gone upstairs, Lois peeled off her winter jacket and gloves. When it came time to take off her hat though, she found it wasn't as easy as she thought it was going to be, not with her head laceration reopened. Blood had soaked onto it a little bit. Eventually, she peeled off her wet winter hat, but it felt like she was being unsheathed from a chrysalis.

Clark came back moments later with a first aid kit, a blanket, and some dry clothes. He had already changed of course, and was in a clean grey t-shirt, red flannel long sleeve, and blue jeans.

"I'll take care of you," Clark stated quietly as he got out a swab and alcohol. Gently, he swabbed the laceration on her forehead. Lois tried not to react to the stinging of the alcohol as it made contact with her cut, but it was useless.

"Sure you know what you're doing there, Smallville?" she asked, cringing with pain. This hadn't hurt nearly as badly the first time around he had tended to it two days ago. On the other hand, this time she had reinjured her head slightly differently.

"Sorry…" he apologized, his head tilted down at hers then, his blue gaze boring into her hazel eyes. After a beat, and the bleeding had stopped, Clark sat down the swab and stated, "Let's see if you're on the verge of a concussion."

He stared at her laceration intently, more so than before the first time she had injured it, and then nodded. "You'll be fine."

She was surprised just by him being able to tell this using his super powers. Most would have diagnosed this by either asking if she was feeling lightheaded, nauseated, had a headache, if her eyes were dilated, or simply taken her in for a X-ray. Clark however…..wow!

"Thanks, Dr. Kent." Lois quipped as she felt around the area, while Clark dug out a piece of gauze and medical tape. As Clark gently applied the gauze to her wound, Lois couldn't help but look at him. How could she not know that he was the Blur? She had lived with him under the same roof for goodness sakes during her final year of high school! Had he just been that phenomenal at hiding it? Well, obvious, stupid, otherwise you would've already known earlier. Also, how could he not have enough trust in her to tell her? Was it really for her own protection? I mean, come on! His parents knew. She was almost positive Clark's ex-girlfriend Lana Lang must've known too. They had dated the longest. How could he tell them but not her? Maybe his feelings weren't as deep for her as hers were starting to be for him.

Clark could feel Lois's hazel eyes trained on him. He knew that she must have a thousand questions for him. Who wouldn't? And he was prepared to answer most of them. He still couldn't believe that he had blurted out to Slade just like that that he was the Blur! But at the same time, he didn't quite fully have all of his powers back at that point. And he also wasn't sure if he would've been able to get between Lois and the bullet in time. So now here was his secret identity out in the open in all of its wondrous glory! Well….at least out in the open to General Slade and Lois Lane. General Slade…he knew the government wouldn't believe right away, in fact they probably would think he was insane at first…so he had time to deal with that scenario later. But Lois on the other hand…..

She was staring at him awfully intently. And she was quiet. Too quiet. Deadly quiet.

Only once he was done administering to her head, did he finally look up at her. "So, how mad are you?"

Lois simply shook her head. "I'm not mad."

"Excuse me?"

Lois simply shook her head again. "Really, I'm not mad at all."

"Lois, you don't need to hold back."

"I'm not," Lois stated. And then before Clark could interject, she stated, "I'm hurt."

"Which is going to be worse than mad, isn't it?"

Lois shot him an even more hurtful expression and Clark was suddenly glad that she wasn't super powered like him. She probably would've used heat vision on him in retaliation.

"Okay," Clark relented. "I know this is a shock. And I did want to tell you. Especially, back when you were wondering about how I knew Chloe wasn't in her grave and that it was empty. When you had met me long ago. I knew that if I had told you then, you wouldn't have worried half as much. But I had barely known you then."

Lois smiled bitter sweetly at the memory. Chloe had been going to testify against Lex Luthor's dad Lionel in court. And she had been mysteriously killed supposedly in a Witness House explosion. But Lois didn't quite believe it. And fortunately, neither had Clark. Chloe had in fact been very much alive! It was the first case they had worked on together on solving. Even though they were both seniors in high school at the time.

"I carried this secret for a long time. And then when I decided to become the Blur. I became a target."

"And so anybody who was close to you also became a target. And so your parents and Lana were technically already targets because they knew your secret long before you became the Blur." Lois concluded.

And Chloe, Pete, and Oliver…Clark added silently to himself. He was afraid to list those names out loud though. For if he did, Lois might be even more angered or hurt. Especially, since two out of those three were even closer to her and hadn't told her either.

"And it became even more complicated for you when exactly? Once you and I became news reporters at the Daily Planet? Or once you realized you started having feelings for me?"

Clark was taken slightly aback at the feelings comment. But then he realized he shouldn't have been so surprised. For it was true. He was starting to have deep feelings for her. Actually, he had started having deep feelings for her back when they had danced at Chloe and Jimmy's wedding and they had almost kissed.

Again he felt her hazel eyes boring into him.

"Well?" she demanded.

"It was after I realized that I was starting to fall in love with you." Clark admitted softly.

Now it was Lois's turn to be taken aback. When he had started to love her?! Clark Kent….the Blur….was in LOVE with her?! So because he was in love with her he wanted to protect her by not telling her his secret? Was this really the truth? Or was Clark Kent trying to score points with her? And then she realized that even though he had thought he had been protecting her, he had technically been lying to her for an awfully long time making her think that he was two different people. In the long run, it had been logical at the time. Even thoughtful. But he had still lied to her. And then he had hid his feelings from her on top of that! Not that she hadn't been hiding her feelings from him too. But….still….it hurt.

She must've been silent longer than she thought she had, for soon Lois saw Clark's hand waving in front of her face. "Lois? Earth to Lois?"

Blinking a few times to break herself from her reverie, she grabbed his wrist to make him stop waving his hand. "I'm fine, Clark."

Skeptically, he looked at her. "Really? Because you have a head injury you're recuperating from, you just found out that I'm the Blur recent, and I just told you that I'm in love with you."

Okay. She was still hurt. And his concerned penetrative blue gaze was not helping. Suddenly, she felt like she needed a drink. Maybe Mrs. Kent still had some eggnog in the fridge? No, she changed her mind quickly. If she had alcohol then all of her 'feelings' would come spilling out. And she needed to be sober for when she would admit them.

Lois gave herself a mental check. You're a Lane. You grew up bouncing from military base to military base the majority of the time. You have a military back bone. You can do this. Don't chicken out. And don't puke. Why did she suddenly feel nauseated?

"I love you too," Lois finally whispered. "And that's why it hurts so much that you didn't trust me enough with your secret. That you thought I wasn't worth the risk. That I could handle it. Because since your mom is still alive and she's technically still a target because of your secret. Then there's no reason for me not to know."

Great. Now she had tears rolling down her face. Way to go Lois. You blabbed your feelings and turned yourself into a blubbering idiot. In front of Clark Kent. The Blur.

Clark shook his head. This was not going the way he had thought it would. On the other hand, at least she hadn't punched or slapped him yet. He could understand why she was hurt. And he did trust her…now that they had been friends for a while. But at the same time, he did not want her to become a target. If his enemies knew how special she was to him, they would most certainly use her to gain the upper hand against him. Because he was with absolute confidence that he would choose her every time. Every time. At least so long as it wasn't for selfish reasons. Because to him….Lois Lane was his world.

There. He had admitted it to himself. Lois Lane was his world. Except his world was now sitting in front of him….hurt, crying, and feeling sad that she thought he didn't trust her. Crap.

But he didn't open his mouth. Clark hadn't quite figured out how to formulate what he exactly wanted to tell her.

"I wish you knew I was worth the risk." Lois stated quietly. And then she got up from the chair she had been sitting on in the kitchen. She was going to walk away. She was going to head upstairs to Clark's bedroom. Honestly, she needed space from him especially since he was still sorting his feelings out, meanwhile she had just spilled all of hers.

But before she could fully leave the kitchen, Clark's hand grabbed hers. And next thing she knew his lips were on hers. They were soft, but firm. And his kiss was sweet and undemanding. Lois tried not to drown in the sensation of Clark Kent kissing her. She had to keep reminding herself that he didn't think she was worth the risk. That she was hurt that he didn't trust her with his secret. That he had lied to her. But….damn was he good at kissing!

However, just as soon as the kiss had started is just as soon as it had much to Lois's chagrin ended. Foreheads rested against each other. Breathing fast. Lois felt like she suddenly needed oxygen.

"I'm sorry, Lois." Clark whispered.

Sorry? For what? Kissing her?

Clark whispered again. "I'm sorry I lied to you."

Oh…right. That!

She tilted her chin up and looked at him. Lois wanted to believe what he said was true. Lois wanted to accept his words at face value. But how could she really know? Was kissing her enough? Was him apologizing for lying enough? She still wanted an explanation that was deemed good enough to her of why he thought she wasn't worth the risk. She was tired from the day's events and frustrated.

But then just like that again, his lips were descending upon hers again in a soft but sensual way. His right hand reached up and cupped the back of her head. While his left hand was at her waist on her back, splayed. Heat radiated from his body enveloping hers in delicious warmth that tingled her from her head to her little toes.

As his lips tasted hers and his tongue started to play tonsil hockey with hers, the words _I'm sorry…_ Lois seemed to allow to later placate her.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day Lois stood with Clark in the loft of his barn. She watched as he tucked the lead box that withheld the Kryptonite under some old blankets in a corner.

She still could not phantom it. "How can you keep that? I mean…I saw that hurt you. I'm betting that means that it can kill you too."

Clark stood and turned towards Lois after he was done covering up the box. "After we found it while I was in high school, and we found out what it could do to me….I told my parents to keep it as a precaution. In case I ever did turn like General Slade automatically thinks I would do."

Turn? On humans? How? As far as Lois was concerned, Clark was raised by the most loving, caring adoptive parents that one could ever ask for. Clark could never be evil in Lois's eyes. He just didn't seem to have that type of Jackal and Hyde persona at least for as long as she's known him so far.

But her investigative reporter instincts told her detect. "Have you ever _turned_?"

Nodding, looking pained, he admitted. "A couple of times. But only because of Red Kryptonite. It alters me."

Wait a minute. Red Kryptonite?!

Lois whirled on him. "There's different types of Kryptonite? Not just the green that can hurt you?"

"Yes."

Lois sank onto the couch that was in his loft. What else didn't she know? It was beginning to seem like a lot! And here she had lived under a roof with him! How could her reporter instincts not have kicked in sooner? How could she have been so stupid? How she could not have unearthed these facts about the humble bumbling farm boy before her?

Red Kryptonite can alter him…..she wondered if she had ever been around him when he had been altered before then. If he had acted differently towards her ever…

She didn't remember him ever hurting her.

Meanwhile Clark was thanking his lucky stars that Lois didn't seem to remember the times he had been under the influence of Red Kryptonite, and had gotten up close in her personal space. Let alone show boated his powers. Especially, that one time in Metropolis when under the influence they had made out in Oliver's loft after flying there. And then… _shudder_ ….he and she had crashed Lana Lang's and Lex Luthor's Engagement dinner.

After rummaging around in a dust covered trunk, Clark unearthed a brown leather bound book.

"Here." Clark stated, ruefully. Handing Lois the book, "This might help explain a few things."


	10. Chapter 10

After taking hold of Clark's leather bound brown book and reading some of it, Lois had learned that there was a lot that she had never known about Clark while living under his roof. She hadn't read all of the book though because she didn't understand the ancient Kryptonian symbols and what they meant. Clark was an alien. Clark had once been called Kal-El. Clark had once been the son of a noble Lord on another planet. Because Clark had traveled to Earth, Clark had all of these powers thanks to their golden sun. There was a lot of questions Lois still had, and some did have to do with the symbols of course in the book.

But those questions would come later…

That night Lois dreamed. She dreamed of a red sun that had not set yet. She dreamed of its light casting crimson shadows over a sprawling expanse of ancient temples, palaces, arenas, and towers. Opalescent domes and spires that gleamed in the twilight. She dreamed of hybrid winged creatures soaring in the sky. She dreamed of a Genesis chamber holding thousands of infants. She dreamed of war. Of a planet that she never even visited…..

Lois sat bolt upright in Clark's bed, gasping, hair plastered to her neck in cold sweat. Her wrists were held in a firm but not too hard grip. She tried to pull away until she realized who was restraining her. "Clark?"

"Yeah." He was sitting on the edge of his bed. Lois was trying to figure out how she had gotten into his bed. For last night all she remembered was sitting at his kitchen table reading his leather bound brown book. She must've fallen asleep while reading it at the table. Clark looked tousled and half awake, his blue eyes semi sleepy.

"Please, let go of my wrists."

"Sorry," he apologized quickly as his fingers slipped from her wrists. "You were having a nightmare it seemed."

"I was dreaming of war on another planet. I think it was yours." She glanced around, as Clark shifted his gaze inadvertently. She had been dreaming of the down fall of Krypton, Clark had guessed. When Zod and his followers had turned mutiny on the Kryptonian Counsel and started a brief war. A war that ended with the death of his father Jor-El, and his mother Lara sending him away in his tiny spaceship towards the heavens above. That book…..

"How did I get here? I don't remember…."

"I found you asleep at the kitchen table while reading." Clark sounded amused. "I picked you up, carried you up the stairs, and placed you in my bed. Thought you'd be more comfortable than at the table."

"Wow. I don't remember anything," Lois ran her hands through her hair, pushing strands out of her hazel eyes. "What time is it anyway?"

"About 8am," Clark stated simply, looking over at his alarm clock on the small table dresser by his bed. "Do you feel like some coffee?"

Lois amicably nodded.

After some coffee she decided she would play a lovely game of 20 questions with him.

A beat later, as she watched Clark get up off his bed, she stated. "I'm going to change."

She swung her legs out of bed the moment she heard Clark descend his stairs. It's not like she could wait for him to shut his bedroom door as that had been destroyed by General Slade. Though it was only early morning, and the sun not quite as bright as it would be that afternoon, heat from its rays were already beginning to flood his room. She pulled down the curtain on his bedroom window, and then she went into the bathroom to wash her face and rinse her mouth, which tasted like old sand paper.

Five minutes later, she was sliding her feet into her grey Adida sneakers. She'd changed into cutoffs and a plain black sweater. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and then put on some lip gloss. Smiling then, she headed down the stairs where the sweet aroma smell of coffee wafted up into her nose in a welcoming greeting.

Lois would definitely need all the coffee Clark could offer her this morning. For it was time to learn even more now about her farm boy.


	11. Chapter 11

Sitting cross legged on the couch, steaming cup of coffee in hand, head resting comfortably against the Afghan blanket on the couch, Lois carefully studied him.

"So….let me get this straight…..all those disappearing acts, the half baked excuses….they were because you were using your alien powers and rescuing people?"

"Yes," Clark nodded, from the chair he was sitting in next to her. Nervously, he raked a hand through his ebony, black hair.

"So….like that time you saved me from a speeding car….that was you?"

Clark nodded again.

Lois sat their contemplating. And now a few other things that she hadn't quite thought of before in her past, that she had just set aside as odd were now resurfacing to her brain.

"The time the barn door flew off of its hinges while I was living here. I thought it was a weather anomaly at the time."

Clark winced, slightly uncomfortable at the memory. That barn door had almost landed on Lois, whom had been jogging at the time, and almost killed her. Thankfully, it hadn't. "I did that. I sneezed."

Lois looked slightly taken aback at that statement. "You sneezed? I thought the Blur was invulnerable?"

"I did….I am…..it's complicated," Clark mumbled, raking a hand through his black, ebony hair again.

So many questions….he knew she'd have a bunch. She was an investigative reporter after all. At least she wasn't yelling at him about lying to her about all of this anymore. The book he had handed her the night before had seemed to help some. Still…he felt like he was playing a game of 20 questions. Not that this should've surprised him any.

"Our twilight zoned acid trip to the phantom prison?"

"That place was Kryptonian," Clark admitted.

"The horny toad demon at Chloe and Jimmy's wedding? The spaceship that I had found at the Dam?"

"All of that Kryptonian," Clark told her.

Lois gulped. She felt awful about giving Clark the third degree. It's just….it was amazing to find out that the person she had lived with for so long under the same roof, now worked with at the Daily Planet, and was now possibly starting a romantic relationship with was an alien.

And not just any type of alien either! An alien who tried to blend with the humans, have a normal life, and yet use his powers as a hero to save the world.

Lois suddenly felt like she was dating a Greek God. She smiled at Clark.

Even though she was smiling at him, Clark still felt a little wary, and needed some reassurance. He needed to know that she wasn't wigged. And that she wasn't angry.

"You're sure you're alright with all of this? With knowing this deep secret about me?" his blue eyes were troubled and doubting.

Lois smiled at him, again. Her hazel eyes shining brightly. She didn't say anything though at all, which worried Clark even more. Since Lois was known for her babbling like a brook. Instead, Lois gently sat down her coffee cup on the table next to the couch. Leaning forward, she soundlessly kissed him. Her lips crashed over his lips. As his mouth gently parted, so did hers and then her tongue slipped in, and any questions that Clark might had about Lois being wigged or angry, evaporated completely.


	12. Chapter 12

Bright light entered Clark's bedroom the following morning, Lois squinted annoyed. She was going to have to tell Clark to invest in some darker curtains or blinds for him one day.

Gathering some clothes from her duffle bag, she lightly padded down the hallway to the bathroom to take a much needed shower. When she opened the door, warm steam smacked her in the face, and she was greeted by rushing sound of water coming from the metal showerhead.

Clark….

Immediately, her heart skipped a beat. And memories from the first time she found him in the shower shortly after a few days they had met in a corn field came flooding to her. How could she had not have known he had super powers then? He had taken down a chopper when they had gotten busted for investigating a safe house that Chloe had been kept in. And when they were done running from the choppers, they had taken separate showers at his place. Oh, what a memory!

Clark must have sensed that she was in the room, or had picked up her erratic heart beat with his super hearing because all of a sudden the shower curtain parted a bit, and there was Clark's startled but smiling face.

"Hey…I'll be done in a minute."

Lois tried to keep her face from going crimson, and responded with. "It's okay, Smallville. Besides, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who likes to take marathon showers."

Clark smirked and then disappeared back behind the shower curtain.

And at that moment there was a knock on the bathroom door. Confused, as to who else could possibly be in the house besides them, Lois placed her hand on the golden door knob and opened it.

There on the other side, looking just as shocked and confused as she was was Martha Kent!

"Lois…Hi."

"Mrs. Kent, you're home from the Senate."

Quickly, Lois grabbed the door, and tried to press it as hard as she could against her thigh to keep Martha from seeing her son in the bathroom with her. Which she couldn't even figure out why she bothered to after a beat, considering his mom must have had some sort of inkling. Especially, if she didn't see him in the barn or anywhere else in the house.

Didn't help any either when as if on cue, Clark, wrapped in a red towel, popped his head above Lois's shoulder. Followed by an awkward, "Hi, Mom."

An hour later…because Lois really wanted to get in a shower too. Both Lois and Clark were standing in fresh clean clothes in front of his mother in the kitchen. Instantly, Lois had a flashback to the first time they had stood in front of his mom being interrogated after being found in the bathroom together.

"I don't understand what the big deal is here. We're both adults." Lois was the first to speak.

"Separate. We took separate showers, Mom." Clark quickly added.

Martha, nodded. She knew they were both adults and not the gung-hoe teenagers they had been back in the day the first time this had happened. It's just….

"When did you two become so close?" was Martha's next question. Martha knew deep down that the connection between her adopted son and Lois was more than just a brother-sister type friendship. From the moment that Lois had moved in with them during Clark's Senior year of high school actually. That it would only take a while between their sassy banter that they too would eventually realize it. Clearly, something had developed even more between the two while she had been gone to the Senate.

Clark and Lois looked at each other briefly exchanging smiles. "We just did." Clark finally responded. "I don't know why it ever took so long for us to realize it that we're right for each other."

Martha nodded knowingly. Not saying anything. Because that's how all the best relationships start out. And she was so happy for the both of them. That they each recognized that what they really needed was each other.

"So….you're not mad that we were in the bathroom together?" Lois broke the silence.

Clark chuckled at the same time his mother did.

"No, Lois. In fact…..I'm going to say this instead….Happy New Year." And Martha wrapped Lois in a hug.

As warmth enveloped her, Lois realized that being stuck for the holidays at the Kent Farm may have been the best thing to have ever happened to her.


End file.
